“Rejoice in the Lord always(s): and again I say: Rejoice!"
This is virtually a command to rejoice, but not to just rejoice but to “rejoice in the Lord.” This doesn’t mean to just be happy when everything is going in our favor. We are reminded to “always” rejoice – “in the Lord.” I want to share with you what I think that it means to “rejoice in the Lord.” We should rejoice in the salvation that God offers us through His grace. Being saved, being made right with God through faith in Jesus, is ample reason to rejoice, even in the difficult times. Hebrews 7:24-25 reminds us of a good reason to rejoice: “But this man (Jesus), because He continues ever, has an unchangeable priest hood. 25. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost those that come to God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them.” Do you see what this means? It means that, through Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, who indwells us, God is personally involved in our lives. That Jesus intercedes for us, means that He is praying for us, and leading us to a better life. We should rejoice in the hope that we have in Christ. Romans 12:12 reminds us of this hope that we have in Christ: “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation (trouble); continuing instant in prayer.” The hope that we have in Christ is not the “hope so” kind of hope that we think of today. According to Vine’s Dictionary of New Tesatment Words it means, “favourable and confident expectation.” We are secure in our relationship with Jesus Christ, for He “is our hope.” (1 Timothy 1:1b) According to Colossians 1:27, Jesus is our “hope of glory.” This doesn’t mean that we will have self glory, but that we have the eternal glory that He alone can give, that is, eternal life beginning in this life and continuing through all eternity. Rejoice in the hope that Jesus gives, and is, in our lives. We should rejoice in the peace that we have in Christ. Look at the promise given in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” We are reminded in Philippians 4:27 that through prayer we can have “the peace of God, which passes all understanding.” We should not just seek peace of mind, but we should seek the “peace of God” that we have by faith in Jesus Christ, and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There is much, much more that could be written on this subject, but I think that the three that I have given here can give you a good start in “rejoicing in the Lord always.” Bro. Joe
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
All
Archives
September 2021
|